BRONCHOALVEOLAR LAVAGE CATHETER ASSEMBLY

• Main Authors: FURNISH, GREG, WELLS, KEITH, ELSAKKA, MAMDOUH, EDRINGTON, JOHN, KEARNEY, CHRISTINE, T
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 30.03.2011
• Subjects: BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROMTHE BODY; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PROSTHESES; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS

A catheter assembly configured for use in a non-bronchoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage procedure. The catheter assembly may include an inner catheter member having an inner catheter lumen and an outer catheter member having an outer catheter lumen, where the inner catheter member is disposed longitudinally and coaxially through at least a lengthwise portion of the outer catheter lumen, a distal end portion of the outer catheter includes an atraumatically-shaped disruptable seal-which seal includes at least a pair of overlapping slits that extend at least partially through an internal distal end wall portion of the outer catheter-and where a distal end portion of the inner catheter includes a wedging structure configured to at least partially sealingly contact an inner circumference of a passage in a lower portion of a patient lung.